Tuckshop man to carry baton

EMERALD local Ted Peters has been heavily involved in the community from the moment he first stepped foot in town.

Mr Peters, who has been selected as a 2018 Commonwealth Games batonbearer, has been a member of numerous sporting clubs over the years, such as swimming, soccer and water sports, as well as being heavily involved in the local Anglican Church and Emerald State School.

Last year he celebrated 17years of volunteering at Emerald State School's tuckshop.

"I had lost my daughter's mum in a car accident and I was left to raise her by myself,” Mr Peters said.

"When she started school, they were asking for people to do reading groups and tuckshop, so I signed up for both.

"I was determined to fill both roles, mum and dad, and was working shift work, so I had days off through the week.

"I was on the tuckshop roster for 17 years, they used to say I was Tuckshop Ted.

"It was a great experience, it was wonderful working with the other volunteers and the tuckshop convenors.

"I believe it is also good for the kids to see a man do that kind of role.”

He is the kind of man that would be involved in whatever his kids were into.

This led him and his wife, Michelle, to being made life members of Emerald Seals Amateur Swimming Club, which he describes as a "wonderful achievement”.

Mr Peters has lived in Emerald for 33 years and said he was overwhelmed when he found out he was going to be part of the historic baton-carrying team as it made its way through regional Queensland before arriving on the Gold Coast for the opening ceremony.

"I was overwhelmed when I found out and near brought to tears,” he said.

"When you do community work you don't do it for recognition. To be recognised and to read the nomination letter that a dear friend had written about me, it was really special.

"I am chuffed to be representing the community in this once-in-a-lifetime event.”

He said it would change his life, because he would be doing something only a handful of people had done.

"You never get involved with the community for any accolades,” he said.

"For something like this to come up, quite unexpectedly, it shows that someone is noticing what you do and it is a sweet reward for those of us who are fortunate enough to be recognised, it is truly wonderful.

"I'll have this memory for the rest of my life.”

He said while the baton relay would probably feel like it was over before it started, what a wonderful moment it would be.

"I've never done anything like this before in my life, I've never been considered for anything like this before in my life and never, ever expected to be,” he said.